Guardian
by pencilsandpens
Summary: Cloud is left alone, forever to walk Gaia and protect its people wanting nothing more than to join the dead. Stumbling across Roxas, a small street rat who reminds him a little too much of someone who has past he lets him in. All Roxas thought was that the adult was meant to look after the child not the other way around, apparently wounds don't heal over time. Full summary inside!
1. Prolouge

**Something that hasnt left me alone, first FF7/KH fanfic so bare with me~! This was posted in the crossover section but i think although its in the ff7 universe its so in the future it might aswell be in the Kingdom Hearts section in my opinion :)**

**Summary: Cloud is left alone, forever to walk Gaia and protect its people wanting nothing more than to join the dead. Stumbling across Roxas, a small street rat who reminds him a little too much of someone who has past he lets him in. All Roxas thought was that the adult was meant to look after the child not the other way around, apparently wounds don't heal over time and only the dead seem to know the answers what will Roxas do to help the broken soldier?**

**Pairings: Eventual AxelRoxas + ZackCLoudReno also other side pairings. **

**Setting: Final Fantasy Universe just with Kingdom hear characters and 200+ years after Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus didn't happen. **

**Warnings: **

**Serious angst**

**BoyxBoy love (eventually) **

**AU as it's the future**

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**Prolouge**

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He pulled his cloak hood further down his face, instinctively knowing that his mako glowing eyes were successfully hidden from the decaying world around him. Even though he had only passed the towns boundaries a few minutes prior the bustling of the place had already reached his sensitive ears. An expression close to disgust passed over his face but was quickly gone and replaced by the cold mask that was recognizable to many. Well, was. Humans of this day and age had become ignorant to the past, the history of their survival, the cold truth had become just a story that kids learnt in class and for that the cloaked man was grateful. Being able to walk anywhere without a single soul recognizing him meant that emotions buried deep in his heart didn't resurface and memories stayed in the deep recesses of his mind locked away by a seal that he recognized as being a lot weaker than it should be.

The roars of engines rushing past him went ignored and the lone man let a sigh escape his pale lips. Absently scratching the back of his neck the man continued forward, intent upon ignoring the world around him. He was merely a wanderer, his only reason for being anywhere near civilization was to watch the newest quirks of the humans he was cursed to protect. Cursed perhaps was a strong word, these humans had mostly done nothing wrong but when one had lived as long as he, seeing the things he had, the things he had experienced, cursed was the only word he could use.

A wisp of the lifestream passed his face making him pause. Glancing over to the alleyway he watched as a man let death take him over to the other side, his heart clenched; how he longed for death, to be with those he lost. He had wandered Gaia for so long... and for so long he had wanted it all just to end. The endless journey was painful and his soul was shattered from everyone that had left him.

A sharp gust of wind swept through his body pushing him forward before stopping altogether when he reached the next alleyway. Was it her? His instincts screamed at him to enter the dark alley and he couldn't bring himself to fight them-he was just so tired. Worn combat boots echoed throughout the alley as they scuffled along the ground, a small cry snapped the man out of thought and he glanced down to see a frail child staring back at him.

_Is it her? Is she bringing me to another child, in hope to make things right? Things will never be right. _

He turned back the way he came and began to move when a small grubby hand latched onto his pant leg.

"Please mister, do you have any change?"

His cold eyes stared at the boy, taking in his every detail. The boy was no older than eleven and had wide blue eyes not dissimilar to a younger him and had wild spiky blonde hair. _Woman, what are you trying to do? _He shook his head both at his thoughts and the boy's question then continued back out of the alleyway. He then walked briskly back down the road in a shaken state until he reached the boundary of the town. As he tried to step out his stomach dropped and he had to stop himself from throwing up as he felt bile rise up in his throat. _What was that? _The feeling past and he tried again but his stomach dropped once more, causing him to feel absolutely sick. Why couldn't he leave? Was it that boy?

The man had always been one to trust his instincts, and he wasn't about to stop now. However, there was the fact that his apparent attachment to the place (or a certain unmentionable someone) was liable to hurt him in the end. It never ended well to get attached in a position such as his. But this was ridiculous he had just met the boy, this was like Denzel all over again. A wave of absolute loss washed over him and he had to force himself to not think about the ones that had past. _The blood was everywhere, metal and armour were scattered all over the ground. The blood was everywhere, there was so much blood, his limp body – _He gritted his teeth he wouldn't think about that now, he wouldn't think about that ever. That thought was buried – _much like the person involved. _

He snarled. And then he was in the alley again, crouching down so he was face to face with the boy. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" He demanded, his voice was hoarse from not talking in so long, the boy shook slightly in fear his eyes darted from the man's glowing eyes barely concealed by the black hood and to the large sword on his back.

"R-Roxas, I-I just wanted some s-spare change. W-who are you?" He asked hesitantly, fiddling with the tattered shirt that covered his starved body.

The man hesitated; the lifestream filled his head, whispering encouragement. "Cloud." The boy – Roxas, Cloud corrected himself, nodded before letting out a very unmanly squeak when the mysterious man in front of him picked him up and slung him over his shoulder.

_I don't know what you're trying to do woman, this will only end in pain. For both of us. Is dragging in a harmless child into my world of grieve then only to watch him leave really going to make me heal? _

_I watch people go but can never follow for I am Gaia's WEAPON. _

_That is my curse. My pain. My suffering._

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**Please review they give me fuel. :D**


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary: Cloud is left alone, forever to walk Gaia and protect its people wanting nothing more than to join the dead. Stumbling across Roxas, a small street rat who reminds him a little too much of someone who has past he lets him in. All Roxas thought was that the adult was meant to look after the child not the other way around, apparently wounds don't heal over time.**

**Pairings: Eventual AxelRoxas + ZackCloudReno also other side pairings. **

**Setting: Final Fantasy Universe just with Kingdom heart characters and 200+ years after Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus didn't happen. Bc I haven't played it so don't want to get anything wrong :)**

**Warnings: **

**Serious angst**

**BoyxBoy love (eventually) **

**AU as it's the future**

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**Chapter 1**

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It was cold when he woke up.

Then again it was always cold when Roxas woke up. Not cold as in the temperature being below the desired degree when his eyes first blinked open, but cold in the fact the house was empty; there was no warmth from the other person that was supposed to be living there too. There was no tinkering of pans or the quite footsteps on the wooden floor, just an unbearable reverberating silence.

Roxas greeted the silence with a sigh.

Swinging his legs over the bed frame, he grabbed his mobile from the bedside table and blinked at the time on the screen; 7.02. That meant that Cloud must have left in the early hours of the morning or had not even returned at all as his presence in the cold house had not been seen by the small blonde for two days now. Roxas had tried to stay up with that little bit of hope in his heart that Cloud would return early enough in the evening for Roxas to see him, the teen refused to feel disappointment when he drifted off before the clink of the door opening had been heard. But he knew he was lying to himself, even after six years of this insufferable silence Roxas still wanted to be a part of the stoic man's life and every time the man came and went without a goodbye or a wave chipped away at his already fragile heart. But don't get him wrong Roxas was extremely thankful for the man known as Cloud, now aged fifteen; Roxas was able to get ready for another day at school, he was well fed (even though he fed himself) and he was under a roof that had walls, window, a front door and could actually be called a house but not a home though. Never a home.

Now sitting at the kitchen table with a plate of toast in front of him, Roxas looked at the empty seat across from him and realised he was no longer hungry.

The purr of a motorbike's engine made Roxas pause in his thoughts. "Cloud?" Was he dared to even hope? And a clink of a key in the door, a smile graced the pale skin.

Cloud's heavy boots rang out and Roxas hurried into the hallway to see his guardian. Gloved fingers pushed back the hood of the cloak and the younger of the two was able to see the glowing blue eyes and the spiky blonde hair that resembled a chocobo more than his did. Cloud's eyes were weary though, tired and battle hardened and held no warmth, Roxas felt himself shivering under his gaze.

"I'll be gone in an hour." Roxas's smile faltered and his eyes dropped to the floor, twisting his foot in a manner that screamed insecurity.

"O-oh. W-where are you going?" This was probably one of the first times Roxas had even had the courage to ask where the man was headed and the question startled them both.

"...Midgar." Roxas did actually pay attention to his history professor and had realised long ago that the man in front of him was the man in the textbooks but sometimes wished that Cloud would tell him about the world before his time not Mr. Peterson, period 2 on Mondays and Thursdays. But the curiosity of what the man did at the place gnawed at his mind.

"_W_hat do you hope to achieve by going there?" The question was out of his mouth before he had even realised it and the cold glare he got in return let Roxas know he would get no further answer or form of communication from him. "W-well I'm going to school." Cloud let the boy pass without even a second glance and a sigh that could only be a female's voice echoed throughout the house.

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The school yard was nothing special, neither was the school. It was grey, monotonous but it was warm, the students and teachers were all mostly well rounded individuals and Roxas always found himself in a happier state of mind when he walked through the gates every morning. But not this morning, the encounter with Cloud had poured whatever chance he had for a good day down the drain.

"'Sup Roxas!" A loud boisterous voice called out to him, _Axel._

He turned to greet his best friend, "Hello Axel." He mumbled. Axel was tall, extremely tall, towering above most of his peers, his obnoxiously red hair slicked back and reaching his shoulders, his green eyes which usually twinkled with sick amusement showed only concern.

"Huh? What's wrong buddy?" Axel inquired, bending down so he could look more clearly into Roxas's eyes.

Roxas sighed, averting his eyes away from his friend's worried gaze and choosing instead to gaze at the floor.

"Has he still not come home?" Roxas flinched, silently hating the fact that Axel knew everything.

"No he came home." Axel frowned.

"Well isn't that a good thing?"

"I'm not sure if I prefer him there or not, it's not like he acknowledges my existence." Roxas muttered angrily.

"But he's there right?"

"But he's not! Axel, that's the problem! His body is here sure, but his mind is so far away and on that rare occasion that he does look at me he sees someone else, I know he does! And then when he realises I'm not that person he flees! He runs away! I hate it! Then I'm left in that godforsaken house alone! Why can't he see me for me not some ghost?!" Roxas cried scrunching his eyes shut so no tears could escape. He felt strong arms wrap around him, pulling him into Axel's chest, a sob form in his throat and couldn't bring himself to fight it.

"Hey, hey shhh, shhh. It's alright Roxy, it's okay. Shhhh" Axel soothed, tightening his grip around his best friends trembling frame. "Hey, hey look at me Roxy." Said blonde gulped, raising his head to gaze at his best friend, tears leaked from his eyes and trailed down his flushed cheeks only to swept away by strong firm hands. "Hey, don't cry, do you want be to stay over tonight?"

_Stay over? But Cloud would get ma- no he wouldn't, he wouldn't even know, it's not like he'd be home_. Roxas mumbled his agreement into Axel's shirt. _It would be nice to have some company for a change_.

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**Review please~! Sorry it took so long to update ahaha**


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